Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of entry passages leading to the facility... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.
